"I Don't Blame China" | "Take Advantage" | Brexit | Donna Brazile | Hallmark Channel | NASA

Caracal Business Insider | Daily
November 9, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Caracal Business Insider: Politics + Policy + Profits

"You've got to win the politics to set the policy to ensure the profits." - Marc A. Ross, founder of Caracal Global.

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

GEOECONOMICS

Xi and I can solve all the world’s problems, says Trump: The Times reports, Trump said this morning that he and President Xi of China could solve all the world’s problems. “I look forward to many years success and friendship, working together to solve not only our problems but world problems,” he said after a lavish reception in Beijing. “I believe we can solve almost all of them, probably all of them.” 

AFP: Trump says he and Xi can solve 'probably all' world's problems

In China, Trump cajoles Xi with tough talk, flattery: WSJ reports, Trump blended chumminess with his host, Xi Jinping, with tough talk on North Korea and trade, saying he blamed his predecessors rather than Beijing for a “very unfair and one-sided” economic relationship.

FT: Trump blames US predecessors for China trade deficit

In Beijing remarks US president says Washington allowed China to ‘take advantage’

In China, Trump blames US for trade deficits: NYT reports, speaking in Beijing, President Trump framed chronic trade imbalances as a failure of American policy, saying he could not blame the Chinese for taking advantage of Americans.

Nikkei: Trump credits China 'for being able to take advantage' of US in trade

'We're engaged': Alaska gets China backing for natural gas project: Reuters reports, China's biggest state oil company Sinopec, one of the country's top banks and its sovereign wealth fund agreed on Thursday to develop a $43 billion natural gas project in Alaska, as the cash-poor U.S. state seeks to revive its dwindling energy industry.

US-China MOUs: The Beijing visit caused an announcement of $250 billion in business deals, but many of the agreements lack substance and are mostly non-binding memorandums of understanding that could take years to materialize. Also, consider Boeing's announced deal to sell 300 planes to China - this alone would represent 15% of the $250 billion and there is no indication these are new sales or are just long-planned sales.

For all of Donald Trump’s tough China campaign talk, the US president is leaving his first visit to Beijing with little to show for it but handshakes and warm words with Xi Jinping. - Bloomberg Balance of Power note

US lawmakers introduce bipartisan bills on foreign investment amid China worries: Reuters reports, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), a member of the Republican leadership who is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, introduced a Senate bill to broaden the government’s power to stop foreign purchases of U.S. firms by strengthening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Representative Robert Pittenger, a North Carolina Republican, introduced an identical bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Nikkei: 42 South Korean companies to invest $17 billion in USby 2021

"Lotte Chemical, Hankook Tire to build production lines in southern states"

Reuters: Lithuania expects NATO to reach deal on Baltic air shield

NYT: ‘From one crisis to the next’: Brexit-torn Britain stumbles

The international development secretary, Priti Patel became the second cabinet minister to quit in a week.

Times: Brussels braced for collapse of May government

"EU leaders fear chaos over Brexit talks as Patel quits"

50 London banks in talks for post-Brexit move: DW reports, dozens of banks are in advanced talks with the European Central Bank about moving operations to the European mainland. As Brexit nears, many London-based financial institutions are considering Frankfurt, Paris or Dublin.

EU gives UK up to 3 weeks to make Brexit bill offer: FT reports, December summit could fall short on transition guidelines without a settlement.

Brexit has broken British politics: To old friends, the UK appears to be in the grip of an inexplicable fever.
FT - Philip Stephens 

BBC: Silvio Berlusconi's surprise political comeback

NYT: Catalonia’s Independence Bid Shows Signs of Strain as Coalition Splits

AFP: Mexico says there's 'life after NAFTA' if pact fails

AMERICAN POLITICS

NYT: Suburbs revolt against Trump, threatening GOP

The Times: One year on, suburbs give the Republicans a beating

If you are a Republican Member of Congress with a Whole Foods in your district you probably barely slept last night. 

Tax: Senate Republicans are expected to unveil their tax legislation today. 

Tee times, smoothie diets, and fat paychecks: A look inside post-Trump life: Politico reports, away from the chaos of Trump’s West Wing, former aides take stock of their new worlds. http://politi.co/2yfR3II

WSJ: Prosecutors seek plea deal with Manafort’s former son-in-law

Bloomberg: Senator Menendez juror asks trial judge, ‘What is a Senator?’https://bloom.bg/2jdgIzq

LAT: Former party chief Donna Brazile stokes divisions among Democrats

How Trump brought the political media class to its knees: Vanity Fair reports, Trump and his team understand that for the political press, the only thing that matters is what’s happening right now, not yesterday. And whether through his tweets or his surrogates in the briefing room, the president has been largely able to bait reporters into playing his game, because he knows what makes them tick. https://goo.gl/MPYnJ6

LAT: Obama documentary 'The Final Year' gains emotional heft in the wake of the 2016 election https://goo.gl/6a4DQS

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ENTERPRISE

UPS joined the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance.

Target is closing a dozen stores across a handful of states, including Michigan, Florida, Illinois, and Texas, but not until after the holidays.

Lowe's has unveiled plans to launch so-called stores within its stores, in a partnership with software-powered retailer b8ta, to sell and educate shoppers on smart home products.

CNBC: NASA is working with Uber on its flying taxi project

Uber also said that it is aiming to trial the flying taxis in Los Angeles, as well as Dubai and Dallas-Fort Worth in 2020.

Reuters: Boeing signs deal to sell 300 planes worth $37 billion to China

Reuters: Qualcomm signs $12 billion in China deals amid Trump visit

Burberry plans to go more upmarket to be ‘firmly in luxury’: FT reports, shares in brand fall 10% after first-half profits come in below market expectations.

Reuters: SpaceX to launch Turkish satellites, minister says

TRENDS

Snapchat also wants to be a fitness app: Quartz reports, we learned last year that Snap is "a camera company"- but perhaps soon, it's also going to be a fitness company.

What’s selling in Trumpland, USA: BOF reports, consumers of luxury goods in the wealthiest areas of the country that voted for Donald Trump favor traditional labels including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and David Yurman.

CULTURE

How the Hallmark Channel became a Christmas-movie machine: WSJ reports, the sure-fire ingredients for a successful holiday show: quaint small town, flirtatious tree decorating and, most importantly, snow.

LAT: Garth Brooks is named entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards

SPORT

Beijing’s endgame: football with Chinese characteristics: A spending spree on European clubs carries risks as well as rewards for China’s image.
FT